TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is warning Americans about the cancer risks associated with consuming alcohol.
On Friday he issued an advisory and wants alcoholic beverages to now carry a third government warning- warning drinkers of cancer risks.
The advisory explains "alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, increasing risk for at least seven types of cancer."
NEW: Today, I’m releasing a Surgeon General’s Advisory on the causal link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. Alcohol is the 3rd leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., contributing to about 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year. pic.twitter.com/sKTlPAZlFw
— Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) January 3, 2025
Kat Robey has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona for about 30 years.
“We’ve all been aware that it harms your liver or that it can cause inflammation or all these other things that we know are health risks," Robey said. She's the founder of Let All Thrive, an independent mental health practice in Tucson.
Two government warnings are legally required to be placed on beverages containing alcohol:
(1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects.
(2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.
“I don’t know that it would change things for a lot of people. What I do think is that it might, if people think they might have an issue with it, maybe it would sway them in a direction, or get them to look at their activity with drinking or history with drinking," Robey explained.
She believes that if people don't see an issue with their drinking habits, another warning on a label might not sway them.
Robey also explained that consuming alcohol can mean different things to different people.:“People enjoy it for cultural reasons, a festivity, for relaxation, maybe for masking some pain, sometimes people that are dealing with emotional things want to just drink that away.”
But, if someone wants to change some of their drinking habits, Robey recommends “taking other steps to take care of their mental and emotional being so that the numbing effect isn’t what they’re seeking in a drink."
She also explains that if people want to change how they drink in a social setting, consider ordering a mocktail.
The potential cancer risk label has to be approved by Congress, which is unlikely.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from the Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
